Jinwu City was on the border of Yanghe Prefecture, Youzhou Province. It was less than 600 miles away from Embracing Tiger City. As for commoners, it might be a bit long from Jinwu City to Embracing Tiger City by train or airship. However, as for a knight, especially an earth knight like Zhang Tie, it was like taking a stroll in a vegetable market. Even if Zhang Tie didn't use his ability as a divine dominator, he could still arrive at Embracing Tiger City in less than 1 hour.
After the new year, it didn't snow in Youzhou Province anymore. However, it was still cold in Youzhou Province; especially these days, as the accumulated snow started to melt, the coldness in the air grew more intense.
Translator: WQL Editor: Aleem Flying in the sky, the mountains, rivers and the land were all white. Before 2 pm, Zhang Tie had arrived above Embracing Tiger City and landed in an alley in a residential area near the central port of Embracing Tiger City as fast as a lightning bolt.
After landing in the alley, Zhang Tie put on the hood of his snow-proof cloak. After that, he fastened the buckle and covered the greater part of his face, exposing only a small part of his eyebrows and eyes. At the sight of Zhang Tie, outsiders might not know whose face was behind the hood besides feeling that Zhang Tie was too young.
Given Zhang Tie's fame in Youzhou Province; especially in Embracing Tiger City, only in this way could he not be recognized the moment he walked on the street.
These days, Zhang Tie stayed with his family members at home every day. Although he would get some news from the outside, it was indirect. Coincidentally, Zhang Tie also wanted to take a look at the atmosphere in Embracing Tiger City. Now that he was a knight in Taixia Country, if he didn't plan to hide in Castle of Black Iron and be isolated from the outside world, he had to pay more attention to some things. As a small figure in the marketplace, Zhang Tie knew that some things and truths could only be seen clearly and concretely in the marketplace.
There was a thin layer of snow on the ground of the alley. Stepping on the snow, Zhang Tie walked out of the alley towards the street outside.
This alley was relatively tranquil; however, the street outside the alley was pretty boisterous.
When Zhang Tie arrived at the entrance of the alley, the gate of a house over 10 m in front of him had been opened with a squeak. Some people then walked out of the house. One side was seeing Zhang Tie off while the other side was leaving.
"Second Brother, I'll leave Deming to you. When his mother and I are not here, discipline him as you should. Beat him when he needs to. Don't spoil him. Ask him to do all the dirty and tiring work in the restaurant!"
The people who wanted to leave were a middle-aged couple dressed in plain clothes. It was obvious that they came from a village outside the city. Although the couple was dressed in clean clothes for the New Year, ordinary people could still tell what they were doing at a glance. The one who spoke was the man, and he had an honest look on his face.
"Elder brother, don't worry. Deming is with me. I will treat him as my own son. I will treat him as my own son. As long as we have food, I will, I will will not of him!" They were also a couple, but they were slightly younger. The one who spoke now had a similar face shape to the one who spoke just now. With one glance, one could tell that they were brothers. "I'll slowly teach Deming to familiarize himself with the things in the restaurant. In the future, he can also be a shopkeeper!"
"I'm reassured by your words!"
"We're a family. Don't be so polite to us at this moment. Deming, come here and bid a farewell to your dad and mom. From now on, you could only see your dad and mom once in a few months in Embracing Tiger City …"
A teenager at 16 years old with red eyes walked out as he knelt down on the snow and kowtowed towards the couple, saying, "Dad, mom, don't worry. When I learn something from my second uncle and save enough money, I will buy a house in the downtown and pick you up …"
When Zhang Tie walked towards them, those people who were bidding a farewell to them turned around and threw a glance at Zhang Tie. Zhang Tie walked leisurely as he didn't want to look like an onlooker. Therefore, he just passed by them like a passerby and came to the bustling street.
Although it was cold, the streets in Embracing Tiger City had been boisterous after the new year. After the 3rd day of the Chinese New Year, the shops on the streets would open one after another. Some shops would open on the 6th or 8th day of the Chinese New Year for the sake of good luck. Very few shops didn't open until the 15th day of the Chinese New Year. It indicated that the boss might be in another province and had not come back yet.
There were still some traces of the Lantern Festival 3 days ago on the streets of Embracing Tiger City. Delicate lanterns were hung in front of each shop. Some lanterns were even hung on the twigs on the roadside.
Zhang Tie walked leisurely. He was not the only one who wore the same snow-proof hood. As Embracing Tiger City was close to the seaside, the sea wind in winter was more chilly. These days, those who went out to make a living either covered their faces or smeared fish oil on their faces. Otherwise, their faces would be covered with cuts in a couple of days. In Embracing Tiger City, many people dressed like Zhang Tie. Besides being a bit delicate, Zhang Tie's clothes were nothing special. Therefore, nobody paid much attention to him. Some people on the streets had smeared oil on their hands and faces. They might be those who made a living on the wharf or on ships.
"Elder brother, I will call a car to send you off!"
"No need. We've been to Embracing Tiger City for many times. We're very familiar with the roads. When your sister-in-law and I came here, we've already made an appointment with Li Dazhuang who came to deliver grains to Embracing Tiger City. We will wait for him at the west gate. We will go back by his car. You don't need to send us off. Just go back …"
The street outside the alley was east-west. When Zhang Tie came to the street outside, he directly turned west and walked leisurely.
The voices in the alley still drifted into his ears. Without looking back, Zhang Tie knew that the couple from the countryside had already refused to see them off. However, the one who saw them off still sent them to the entrance of the alley. After exchanging a few words, they separated. The couple from the countryside walked 30 m away from Zhang Tie while the one who saw them off returned home and closed the door.
After walking behind Zhang Tie for a short distance and being far away from the entrance of the alley, the old woman suddenly uttered, "Sister-In-Law, you didn't speak just now.
"Sister-in-law didn't say anything just now. I'm a little worried …"
After being silent for a short while, the man nodded affirmatively, "Don't worry. My second son is a decisive person. He could even make decisions in his family. When my second son came to Embracing Tiger City to develop, some brothers of my family pooled money to open a small boite for him. For this boite, I sold over 10 acres of land and some of my cattle. You've seen it these years. My second son is not a person who forgets his roots. He has been helping our family over these years. Additionally, he watched Deming grow up. No matter what, he's Deming's biological uncle. He would never treat Deming badly!"
"Even so, I'm still a bit worried. After all, Deming won't stay in Embracing Tiger City for just 3-5 months. If he stays here for a long time, my second younger brother's family members might have some ideas …"
"Alas, we can't help it!" The honest man let out a sigh as he said, "All the influential and capable people in our village have hurriedly sent their kids to the city these days. It's said that Mr. Liu's kids have been directly sent to a school in Youzhou City. Old Cao has sent his youngest son to Golden Light City as an apprentice. Even Li Laizi's two kids have been sent to the sawmill of his maternal uncle in Embracing Tiger City. It's always safer in the city than in the countryside. A few years ago, it was still safe in the countryside; however, it's dangerous in the countryside now. It's said that hundreds of villages outside the cities where bloody figures appeared had been killed overnight. Many people even became the food of bloody figures. Those 3-5 m high fences and walls outside the villages could only prevent common wild beasts and thieves. As for bloody figures, they could easily pass through them. Common villages couldn't resist them at all. A few days ago, bloody figures had already arrived in Youzhou Province. It's said that many people were killed there. We have to find a way for Deming …"
"I'm worried about Deming …"
"The world has become chaotic at once. It's okay for Deming to suffer some hardships. As long as he could stay alive, everything would be fine. Oh, where's the set of jadeite jewelry? When you come to Embracing Tiger City next time, take it with you. Send it to your sister-in-law stealthily. Don't let my second brother know that. It's women's business. I don't need to teach you."
"Ahh, it's reserved for Dehua's wife in the future. No matter what, if we marry a wife, we have to have at least one or two pieces of decent jewelry!" The woman looked a bit shocked and a bit reluctant.
"Dehua is in the army. He doesn't need it for the time being. Let's deal with Deming's affairs first! As long as the two brothers could live well, that's more important than anything else! In the worst case, I will go to the mountain to have a try and find some wild ginseng in the spring … "
"As you wish …" The woman nodded after being silent for a short while …
Zhang Tie knew that it was very dangerous to pick wild ginseng in Youzhou Province; especially for fighters below LV 9. Because there must be a lot of mutated beasts in the mountain where wild ginseng grew. Commoners would face great dangers in such a place. Many people would die there.
'Poor parents in the world!'
Zhang Tie let out a deep sigh inside. He had not imagined that the riot of bloody figures could cause such a great impact to the surroundings of Embracing Tiger City even though it was far away from the riot of bloody figures in Youzhou Province. As a result, people who lived outside the city started to bring their family members into the city so as to seek for a safe shelter.
Zhang Tie observed the number of people on the street and found that it was a bit more than that when he came here for the last two times.
Even Youzhou Province was like this, not to mention the cities in other provinces. Although there were many cities in Taixia Country, more people lived outside the cities, which almost accounted for 70-80% of the total population in Taixia Country. After the riot of bloody figures, all the cities in Taixia Country were in a panic. Everyone was scrambling to enter the cities. Some places might have been in chaos.
When Zhang Tie was faintly frowning and thinking about it, he heard a scold from the inn in front of him, "You lunatic, how dare you pretend to be a pharmacist? How could there be such a poor pharmacist in Taixia Country? If you don't have money, piss off …"
Soon after the voice, a figure had been thrown out of the door together with a bedding. (To be continued.)
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
